Ray Ford Needs Your Help for Cancer Battle

Well, where to begin. I am Mary Koppes, and my big brother Ray Ford has been diagnosed with a very rare form of lung cancer called Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma; it makes up less then .07% of all lung cancer cases.

The evening of 11/14/24, Ray began coughing up blood and it started to sound like his lungs were filling with fluid. Ray’s girlfriend, Brittney, took him to the ER at South Peninsula Hospital. Standard vitals and labs were taken; they then administered Tranexamic acid (TXA) via nebulizer to stop the bleeding in his lungs, and completed a CT scan. The ER doctor, Dr. Serreyn, determined that this may be cancer based on some abnormalities seen in his right lung and liver. Due to concern about the bleeding in his lungs starting again and possibly causing asphyxiation, and the need for a PET scan that could not be completed in Homer, he recommended that Ray be medivac’d to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. So, onto the Guardian Life Flight he went. Once he was at Providence lots of waiting and tests were done. Brittney, our sister Carrie, our mom Sue, and myself all drove or flew to be there with him.

On Friday, 11/15/2024, they did a liver ultrasound and ruled out any liver malignancy. A bronchoscopy with biopsy of the right lung was then performed by a Pulmonologist, Dr. Berenson. The weekend was a struggle as the biopsy results would not be processed by the lab until the following Monday. My brother Ray is incredibly strong, but he is continuing to struggle emotionally and has severe anxiety. The PET scan was done on Tuesday, 11/19/2024. On Wednesday they finally had somewhat of an explanation. Ray has a malignant tumor in his lower right lung. There is also a spot on his trachea that will be examined in Seattle. He was discharged and told that he would be referred to an oncologist, ENT, and cardiothoracic surgeon. Ray is now in Homer and back to work part time. Nothing will slow Ray down! Bills still need to be paid and he needs to keep busy!

Ray later saw Dr. Liu, an Oncologist at Alaska Regional Hospital on 12/6/2024 in Anchorage. Dr. Liu was flabbergasted that Ray was not sent to Seattle straight from Providence. Surgery is looking like the best option for his lung, however, we’re still waiting on genetic marker lab results that will determine the course of treatment. Due to the rarity of his cancer type and the need for a specialized care team, Ray is being referred to the University of Washington in Seattle. We are seeking help with funding travel, lost wages, bills, and medical expenses not covered through insurance. Our goal is $10k as we have no idea how long he’ll be in Seattle or how long recovery will take. It is possible his whole right lung will be removed. Brittney has 18 years of experience working in the medical field and has essentially become his care coordinator and advocate during this stressful time.

I will do my very best to keep everyone updated. Please feel free to share this. Thank you all for the support and love!